Plain and simple, our global weather stinks. Bring on the sunshine and the tropical drinks!

Unfortunately, HR leaders around the world have a serious job to do. They are tasked with improving worker productivity, lowering exposure to rising healthcare costs, and creating a healthy and more engaged workplace, while simultaneously battling head colds themselves.

Good luck with winter, everyone. You can catch me by the pool.

Strategic human capital professionals are hearty folks, though. They know that employee health and wellness matters to the “whole employee” as well as the bottom-line, too. That’s why, in concept, group HR directors around the world are chomping at the bit to create a culture of wellness that includes addressing health-related issues that accompany the winter weather doldrums.

Employee wellness matters to the “whole employee” as well as to the bottom-line: @lruettimann

And while many people have read about norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships, there are plenty of HR professionals who can attest to the fact that stomach virusescan spread faster than gossip at work, decimating employee productivity and wiping out janitorial budgets.

I also know many human capital leaders who are concerned about seasonal affective disorder and the toll it can take on otherwise successful employees but don’t know what to do about it. Seasonal depression is a serious issue and can create potential anomalies on employee engagement surveys, too.

Technology cures that can foster employee health and wellness

Thankfully, emerging cloud-based solutions and tech devices make it easier than ever for HR and recruiting leaders to stay on top of wellness trends while recovering from the latest blast of arctic air.

The International Consumer Electronic Show featured a number of new wearable tech devices that blow your old pedometer out of the water. Fitbit, Jawbone and Nike have cool watches, apps and community forums where local HR generalists and employees can create grassroots fitness communities and challenge one another to meet nutrition, fitness and even sleep goals.

HR professionals at companies such as Apple, General Mills and Google are incorporating meditation and mindfulness into daily operating procedures. Inexpensive and accessible apps such as Buddhify and Headspace are being used to combat seasonal affective disorder and encourage employees to achieve a sense of calm and peace during dreary winter months.

Global HR professionals can monitor widespread flu outbreaks with Google Global Flu Trends. This tool uses aggregated Google search data to estimate flu activity, which correlates to documented cases of flu activity. This is a great website to use when planning corporate travel, board meetings, or executive retreats.

I like to think that progressive human capital leaders can apply a little common sense to employee health and wellness, too. For example, it’s often a red flag when a candidate asks to reschedule an interview. During a seasonal outbreak of influenza, though, it can be a blessing.

When someone is sick, recruiters can think creatively, assume good intent, and suggest alternative solutions such as Skype and FaceTime to keep the hiring process moving in a timely manner.

So take heart, my good friends! If you blend a sensible approach to wellness with a healthy dose of technology and hand washing, we might just make it to springtime.

Maybe I’ll see you by the water in Turks and Caicos.

8 Must-Have Apps for HR

Check out this infographic that outlines 8 must-have apps for HR. They'll make your job easier.

8 Must-Have Apps for HR

By Laurie Ruettimann

Laurie Ruettimann pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in Human Resources. Her expertise as a Human Resources leader in Fortune 500 organizations allows her to frame the world as it used to be known. Now, as a woman in the thick of the social world, Laurie is a writer and speaker who covers topics on Human Resources, technology and employment. For the Halogen TalentSpace blog, Laurie shares her insights and perspective on how HR professionals can rethink their profession to better support employee productivity and engagement.